Strangling My Muse

Visual Inspiration—Photo Prompt #40

stranglingmymuse — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 18:20:12 +0000

Let this image engage your muse. Write a paragraph, a short story, a poem, a memory, a journal entry…or whatever you feel inspired to create. And share your creations in the comments if you’d like!

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Hyperink.com Question of the Month

stranglingmymuse — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 00:14:51 +0000

What do Atticus Finch, Lisbeth Salander and Ferris Bueller have in common?

They’re the first three names that popped into my head when I started thinking about compelling fictional characters.

It’s hard to imagine the qualities that link a 1930s lawyer oozing with integrity, a female punk cyber spy, and a naughty high school boy, but they do share certain characteristics that make them compelling:

Each has a strong drive to pursue a certain course of action in spite of the potential legal, social, or parental repercussions.
Each lives by a personal code which is unyielding in the face of conflict.
Each lives life large, all passion and no hesitation.

These disparate characters exist in plots that have their personal codes going up against the conventional tides of their worlds—and keep their readers and viewers sitting on the edges of our seats.

Hyperink.com‘s question of the month: What makes a compelling character in a book or movie?

Dozens of Ideas for Finding Creative Inspiration

stranglingmymuse — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 19:30:55 +0000

Today I’m pointing you toward an excellent article in which artists of all types share how they connect with their creativity. I find it inspiring to hear how other people get creative — I hope you do, too!

Click here to read the article. And if you have any muse-inspiring ideas that work for you, be sure to share them in the comments!

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Soar With Your Wings, Find Balance With Your Tail

stranglingmymuse — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 19:43:01 +0000

The exercise below is one of my recent Creative Bursts. The Creative Bursts are fun, 15-minute play breaks designed to help get your creativity flowing. They encompass writing, drawing, doodling, dancing, wordplay, singing and more. And they’re free! If you’re not receiving them yet, click here to sign up!

What is your invisible feature that nobody knows about? A tail that keeps you balanced? Wings that help you fly above confusion? A special nose that smells disturbances before they arrive?

Spend a few minutes writing about or drawing — or just imagining — your invisible feature.

Here’s what people are saying about the Creative Bursts:

“Your Creative Bursts Rock! Love the creativity exercises. They are fantastic.” ~Andrew, Brisbane, Australia

“Love these prompts!” ~Sarah, California, USA

“Thank you for the Bursts, they are hopefully going to restore some sanity!” ~Hannah, United Kingdom

“I LOVE your Creative Bursts! They really spark my imagination.” ~Christopher, Maryland, USA

Click here to download your free Creative Bursts workbook and sign up for more Bursts in your inbox twice a week!

Visual Inspiration—Photo Prompt #39

stranglingmymuse — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 18:30:21 +0000

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And receive free creativity prompts delivered to your inbox twice a week.
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10 Resolutions for a Creative New Year

stranglingmymuse — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 15:00:48 +0000

Do something creatively inspiring every day, even if only for 5 minutes.
Forgive yourself if you miss a day—and then get right back on the creativity horse.
Cultivate an attitude of play when you’re writing, painting, singing or creating in any way.
Let go of your inner perfectionist.
Don’t blow off your muse, even if he/she starts tugging on your arm at an inopportune time.
Share your creativity with people who appreciate it.
Don’t listen to people who discourage you (including your inner critic).
Believe you deserve to take time for your creativity, in spite of all the demands in your life.
Enjoy the creative journey instead of focusing only on the destination.
Realize that every time you make space in your life for creativity—even if it’s just a sliver of space—you’re making yourself a better person and the world a better place.

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CLICK HERE! (To learn more, click here)

Keep Your Writing Flowing

stranglingmymuse — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 05:36:36 +0000

I’m on vacation until January 1st. If you’re looking for a little creative fuel, check out these writing exercises I’ve created for this blog in the past. Most of them can be done in 15 minutes—or take longer if you’re inspired!

Use a word pile to create something tasty

Combine a random image and a line of text to create a new writing prompt

Turn your life into a movie, a bubblegum card, a fortune cookie…

Use a clincher detail to create a vivid character in just one sentence

Gather words you find sprinkled throughout your day and turn them into something new

Try one of these five exercises to shake up your muse

Get creative with lists

Turn something old into a new piece of writing

Use the environment to reflect a significant change in a character’s life

Craft compelling first and last sentences

Create a sensory collage

Try one of these 10 ideas to get your muse out of neutral

Dream up some metaphors

Use this prompt as a launching pad into creativity

Compile a thesaurus of the senses

Create a thesaurus of memories

Turn found words and phrases into something new

Embrace your bad writing

Transform a creative block into a character (with another example here)

Write a haiku about creativity

Create a faux-history for a random item

Dive into this word pool to write about a physical, emotional or creative journey

For bloggers—create a poem using search engine terms

You’ll also find photo prompts here, and some 5-minute creative quickies here.

And, if you want to work on something larger, write the story of your life with a series of 6-word memoirs.

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Creating With Overheard Dialogue (And Dogs!)

stranglingmymuse — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 18:59:53 +0000

Yesterday at the grocery store, I overheard a woman telling the check-out clerk “Fourteen years ago, I rearranged my life so I can spend all my time with my dog!”

Overheard dialogue can make a great story starter. So my writing challenge to you today is to write a brief story or character description starting with the line I overheard.

Or, if that sentence doesn’t resonate with you, make your own by filling in the blank: “Fourteen years ago, I rearranged my life so I can ___________.”

Have fun with this, and share in the comments if you like!

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Visual Inspiration—Photo Prompt #38

stranglingmymuse — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 22:02:56 +0000

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10 Ways for Writers to Stay Creative During the Busy Holiday Season

stranglingmymuse — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 20:51:21 +0000

Redefine your idea of creativity. If you don’t have time to write for half an hour, spend that time making up stories with a child in your life while buying or wrapping presents.
Use a tape recorder to write bits of dialogue and scenes while driving to and from errands.
Write in the shower.
If you’re working on a larger project — a novel, a screenplay or even a short story — take five or 10 minutes before bed every night to write the next paragraph or just the next sentence. You’ll keep your momentum going even when you don’t have much time.
Carry a few index cards with you wherever you go and make the commitment to fill one with something creative every day when you can find a few minutes.
Write a prompt on an index card for each day you expect to be busy, and commit to freewriting for 10 minutes using that prompt.
Enjoy some non-writing creativity. Make interesting holiday decorations, cards and presents. It all stimulates the muse!
Schedule a writing appointment or two for yourself during the holidays. Put it on your calendar like any other appointment. Then go somewhere away from the madness of your life and keep that date.
Turn your holiday stress into a character and write about him/her. You can find an example here.
If all else fails, escape to the bathroom and write for a few minutes!

And the last word: don’t beat yourself up if you aren’t able to write as much as you planned. Enjoy your holidays and start fresh in the new year.

DOWNLOAD YOUR FREE CREATIVE BURSTS WORKBOOK!
And receive free creativity prompts delivered to your inbox twice a week.
CLICK HERE! (To learn more, click here)